Nanocomposite effective elastic modulus

[arif1729]

Is the effective elastic modulus of a nanoparticle (anisotropic) reinforced polymer (isotropic) nanocomposite isotropic or anisotropic?

 

[Compositepro]

Your question is so ambiguous as to appear lazy, and not deserving of a response.

 

[arif1729]

I apologize if my question was ambiguous. Let me break it down.
Suppose I have a polymer fiber-reinforced composite. Now the effective elastic properties of this composite will be anisotropic which means I will need 21 coefficient (C[sub]ijkl) of the elastic stiffness matrix for this composite. Now if I have a nanoparticle reinforced polymer composite and the shape of the nanoparticles are spherical and distributed uniformly in the polymer, then how many coefficients of the elastic stiffness matrix do I need to analyze the model.
Thanks in advance.

 

[3DDave]

Are you somehow getting the nanoparticles to align in an isotropic manner?

 

[moon161]

If my composites classes were 20 years fresher, or if it were 1999 again, I would treat it both ways and the use an experiment to see what approach was supported by the data.

 

[arif1729]

Assume the nanoparticles are in spherical shape and distributed uniformly/randomly in a matrix composite (as shown in the image below). Moreover the nanoparticles are transversely isotropic crystal and the matrix is isotropic polymer. Then what would be the effective properties of the composite , isotropic or anisotropic?

 

[moon161]

Sounds like you have an arrangement of potential slip planes that is not isotropic.